JOHN Murray is looking forward to showing the Cockneys what they have been missing when he appears at the `Mecca' of British boxing tonight.

The exciting 21-year-old Levenshulme super-featherweight, already the World Boxing Council's youth champion after 16 straight wins as a pro, has been largely ignored by the London-based media.

They have been busy enthusing over Dagenham boy Kevin Mitchell, also 21 and with 20 straight wins to his name, but who recently turned down the chance of a showdown with Murray in a British title eliminator.

Murray (right) was not bothered - he is quite happy to let others grab the limelight as he builds steadily towards a shot at the Lonsdale Belt. But he steps into Mitchell's home territory tonight to show the East Enders exactly what he is about.

Tonight's fight at York Hall in Bethnal Green, against Stourport's Billy Smith - who has won just three of his 42 pro fights - should not present any difficulties.

But Murray is itching to get back in the ring. He has not fought since December, when he came through a hellish battle with Colombian hard man Nacho Mendoza, winning the fight on points under WBC rules after a horrendous swelling on Murray's forehead forced the referee to end the fight in the eighth of a ten-rounder.

"I can't wait to get things moving again," said Murray, who has signed a deal with promoters Hennessey Sports.

"I had to take some time off because of the bruising I suffered to my forehead against Mendoza and to resolve my contract situation, but that is all behind me now.

"I need this one fight to get sharp, to shake off the cobwebs and ease myself back in, but then I feel I will be back to where I was.

"I had won in America and Canada, and then I beat Mendoza, who was an outstanding fighter.

"My trainer Joe Gallagher calls the York Hall the Mecca of Boxing," Murray continued. "I have to make him right, so it's about time I fought there after 16 fights. There is a lot of fuss about Kevin Mitchell down there and he has boxed at the York Hall a few times, so it will be good to show the capital what I can do."

But Murray's London sortie may be a one-off, as Hennessey are planning to start making him the central attraction in Manchester shows, along with Salford's British lightweight champion Lee Meager, who now lives and trains in London.

Mitchell's withdrawal from their British title eliminator leaves the path clear for Murray, and his trainer Joe Gallagher believes Mitchell passed up the only chance he had of beating his man.

"On the best of days Mitchell would only have a one per cent chance of beating John. John is way above him," said Gallagher. "But if he had gone through with the eliminator he would have had a five per cent chance because John would have been coming off the back of a lay-off."

Murray recently returned from a training trip to the Hennessey gym in London, where he sparred Meager and also Billy Corcoran, who tops the bill at York Hall tonight when he meets Carl Johanneson for the British super-featherweight title.

It is also a big week for Murray's younger brother Joe. The 19-year-old flies out with the England team tomorrow to the European Championships in Bulgaria, where he will compete at bantamweight.